Syria to U.N.: Drop Dead Again

Updated Oct. 25, 2004 12:01 a.m. ET

How seriously does Syrian dictator Bashar Assad take the United Nation Security Council? Not very. Last Tuesday the Security Council unanimously reiterated an earlier resolution calling for Syria to end its occupation of Lebanon. Instead of lessening its control, Syria did the opposite. Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri resigned Wednesday, and a pro-Syrian replacement, Omar Karami, was appointed in his stead. This type of response to U.N. pressure is looking more and more familiar.